Rain, Not Strike, Hampers Lyttelton

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31364, 9 May 1967, Page 3

Rain, Not Strike, Hampers Lyttelton

Rainfall seriously hampered work on the Lyttelton waterfront yesterday and considerably nullified the immediate effect of the rail strike on the port The bulk of labour was dismissed late yesterday afternoon, except for gangs at the container ship Holmpark, newly arrived from Onehunga, and the Crusader. Workers came to the port by car and bus. One man walked over the Bridle Path from Heathcote with a bundle on his shoulder. When work started at the wharf there was a labour force of 560 men and a surplus of 82 men, who received attendance pay. Although no locomotive was available for shunting at Lyttelton, rail waggons used for loading and unloading were handled by wharf capstans—a normal practice. According to the Lyttelton Stationmaster (Mr B. H. Patterson) some congestion would be expected to occur in due course but at present no serious problem existed. Discharging of Japanese built railway waggon components from the Choan Maru was halted because there were Insufficient bogies at Lyttelton and the freighter turned

to loading wool in the limited time that rain would allow. The only vessel loading refrigerated cargo was the Crusader at Cashin quay and there was sufficient railed refrigerated cargo available for her to load. The only departure was the inter-island passenger steamer Maori last evening. Other sailings have been delayed by the weather.